


Saved From Myself

by malecnificenttyrus11



Category: Never Have I Ever (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ben Gross/Devi Vishwakumar - Freeform, Canon, Confessions, Confused!Devi, Enemies to Lovers, First Kiss, High School, Jealous!Ben, Jealous!Paxton, Love Triangle, Never Have I Ever, Post-kiss, Revelations, post-season 1 finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:34:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24412912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malecnificenttyrus11/pseuds/malecnificenttyrus11
Summary: After several weeks of a whirlwind of events, ups- and-downs, tears, grief, kisses and confusion...Devi finds herself in a confusing predicament. Unsure of how she got here, she's now faced with the reality of her actions. She just kissed Ben Gross, her former enemy...just a few days after kissing her latest obsession, Paxton Hall-Yoshida. What does Devi do when she's left with feelings for both guys? Who will she choose?
Relationships: Ben Gross/Devi Vishwakumar
Comments: 22
Kudos: 110





	1. Chapter 1

"You stayed..." Devi breathes out, voice full of disbelief.

If you would have asked her where she thought these last few weeks would lead...she absolutely would not have guessed this.

It seemed like just yesterday she and Ben were at eachother's throats, spewing words at eachother like venom. 

Devi would have never guessed that Ben would go from her life-long nemesis...to the person who would save her from herself.

Devi hadn't realized before...but Ben had always been that person who saved her from herself. 

When she lost her dad and ended up in the wheelchair...everyone treated her differently. Treated her like she was fragile and needed to be approached with caution.

Ben had never been that person.

Even when she was at her lowest point, Ben still treated her the same. He never saw her in the wheelchair and took pity on her. He treated her like normal Devi...challenging her and messing with her. 

The rivalry between them was enough to distract her from her grief...make it slightly easier to take on the day.

And now, when she was at her lowest again and nobody else was there (which was largely her fault)...Ben was there. 

He didn't care about the awkwardness between them following their not one, but two near kisses. 

With no questions asked, and no conditions, he took her into his home, and stood by her side.

She didn't know what she would have done without Ben there.

Devi snaps out of her thoughts, looking up to lock eyes with Ben.

Ben's eyes widen, as if hit with a realization, "Uh, yeah... I, uh...just wanted to make sure..."

He pauses for a second, "you were okay..."

Devi's eyes widen, her heart racing at the confession.

Her mind began to spin, and before she knew what she was doing she was leaning forward, resting her hand against the side of Ben's face and connecting their lips together.

~

"Devi, sweetie...you've been quiet the whole ride home. What's going on in that head of yours?" Her mother asks, snapping her out of her trance.

Devi looks up to meet her mother's concerned eyes looking at her in the rearview mirror.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking about dad and the ceremony." Devi lies. Well, it wasn't a complete lie...

Her mother nods, looking unconvinced at the answer.

"I think it was wonderful. I'm so glad that you decided to come." She replies.

Devi smiles softly, "I'm glad that I did too. If it weren't for Ben...I'm not sure that I would have. And I know I would've regretted it...probably for the rest of my life."

Kamala and Devi's mother smile softly at her.

"Ben is such a nice boy. I'm grateful he was able to get through that stubborn head of yours...not many people can." Her mother explains.

Devi laughs, "It's true. Ben is almost as stubborn as I am. But I'm really glad he pushed me to come..."

"I'm very glad too. He's a good friend to you... I told you he would be." Her mother agrees, turning her focus back to the road.

Devi smiles, looking down at her hands which were folded in her lap.

~  
The kiss lasted a few seconds, before Devi realized what she'd done and pulled away, putting some space between her and Ben. 

She kept her eyes locked on Ben's, which were large with shock.

Devi was about to apologize when Ben let out a sigh of relief, smiling at her. He rested her hand at the back of her head, pulling her in for another kiss.

Their lips moved together slowly, and Devi slid her hand from his face down to rest on his chest.

She could feel his heart racing just like hers.

Eventually they pulled apart for air, foreheads resting together.

Devi slowly opened her eyes, pulling away to look at Ben. A comfortable silence fell between them for a few seconds, until Devi's phone began buzzing.

"I should probably go. That's probably my mom calling me..." Devi explains, grabbing her bag.

Ben nods his head.

Devi opens the door, stepping out of the car and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She shuts the door behind her, turning to walk away and pausing, walking back up to Ben's window.

"Hey, Ben?" She says. Ben turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" He questions.

"Uh...thank you, for, you know...driving me here." Devi admits, smiling at him.

Ben grins at her, nodding his head, "It was my pleasure. I'll uh...see you at school."

Devi nods, turning to walk to her car, heart still racing and head spinning from what had just happened.  
~  
"Well...I would say that was a successful trip to Malibu..." Devi's mom says as she unlocks the front door, walking inside the house.

Kamala nods, "And a wonderful memorial service for Mohan."

They all nod in agreement.

"Devi and Kamala, could I speak to you both for a moment?" Her mother asks, gesturing to the living room.

Both girls nod, following her into the living room and sitting on either side of her on the couch.

"I know that it has been very hard on both of you with the prospect of moving back to India. Especially you, Devi." She begins, turning to look at her.

Devi frowns, looking down at her lap.

"At first...I thought that it would be the best decision for us as a family. A way to help us heal and grow stronger..." She continues...looking down at her lap.

"And, upon getting a second opinion...I realized that this wasn't true." She explains.

Devi looks up to meet her mother's eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"A second opinion? From who?" She questions.

"The therapist." Her mother explains. Devi's eyes widen, and she turns to glance at Kamala...who is equally as shocked.

"Really?" She questions..."I thought you didn't believe in therapy."

Her mother sighs, "I still don't entirely believe in it. But I believe in what she said. And...I believe in this family."

"I know that I've been hard on both of you...especially you, Devi. But...I want that to change. I wan't us to be a family again." She finishes off.

Devi smiles, "So?..."

"So...After a lot of thought and soul searching. I decided that it would be best if we stayed here." She confesses.

Devi gasps, "Really?"

Her mother nods, smiling, "Your father loved this house. He believed in it...he believed in this family. I need to believe that this is the place where everything will get better."

Devi's eyes well up with tears, and she immediately embraces her mom. Kamala joins in on the hug.

"Thank you mom. I love you, and I'm sorry again." Devi cries out.

Her mom embraces her tighter, resting a hand on her head.

"I love you too, my beautiful daughter." She says.

Eventually they pull away from the hug, and Devi wipes at her eyes.

"So...are you going to come home?" Her mother asks, eyes full of hope.

Devi nods her head almost instantly, "Yes. But...I just realized that I left some of my stuff at Ben's house. Would you be able to take me there so I can grab it?"

She nods, "Of course. We'll go right after dinner."

Devi nods, smiling at her mother. 

Her, Kamala and her mother make their way into the kitchen, grabbing everything they needed to prepare Mohan's favorite dinner...pancakes.

The three enjoy a calm family dinner for the first time in what seems like forever...but in the back of Devi's mind, she can't help but get nervous about seeing Ben again so soon.


	2. Felt Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devi decides to come home after resolving things with her mother. She decides that she needs to get past her nerves and go to Ben's house to collect her things. Devi tries at all costs to avoid any interaction with Ben, worried of what would go down...but of course that is not the way things go. What will be said between the two? And will a surprising voicemail threaten to tear them apart?

After dinner, Devi's mother calls her downstairs...telling her it was time to go to Ben's house.  
Devi fixes her disheveled appearance as much as possible, trying to shake off the nerves as she gets into the car.

Her leg shakes almost the entire ride to Ben's house.

What is she going to say to him? Are they going to kiss again? 

So many thoughts were swirling through Devi's head...almost making her dizzy.

Before she knew it, her mother's car pulled up in front of the familiar mansion that had recently become her second home.

Weirdly, Ben had become her second home.

Her mom's voice takes her away from her thoughts, "Okay...we're here. Do you want me to come in with you?"

Devi shakes her head, "That's okay, mom. I'm just going to grab my things, and thank Ben's parents for letting me stay here."

Her mom nods in understanding.

Devi gets out of the car, shutting the door behind her. Her mom rolls down the car window, shouting for her.

"Devi, wait! Don't go in empty handed. I have an extra box of chocolates in the trunk! Bring them in with you." Her mom informs her.

Devi rolls her eyes at her mom's obsession with boxed chocolates, walking to the back of the car to grab the box.

She walks back over to the window, smiling sarcastically and waving the box of chocolates in the air. Her mother sends her a thumbs up, waving her off.

Devi takes a deep breath, walking to the front door. She tries to compose herself before she knocks on the front door.

~

Eventually the door unlocks, and it opens to reveal Ben's mother.

She grins at Devi, "Well...look who it is. Our houseguest! What a pleasant surprise."

Devi smiles, "Hi Mrs. Gross. I'm just here to grab some of my things."

She nods, gesturing for Devi to come in. She walks to the door, waving at Devi's mom in the car. 

"Hello Mrs. Vishwakumar! I'll take her home in a while!" She yells out. Devi's mother smiles and waves.

"Are you sure?" She questions. Ben's mother nods, gesturing for her to go.

Ben's mom walks back inside, closing the door behind her.

She walks up to Devi, smiling at her, "Devi...it's so nice to see you again."

Devi hands her the box of chocolates, "You too...also sorry about the chocolates...my mom has a thing with going to someone's house empty handed."

Ben's mom laughs, sending her a warm smile, "I'm the same way! Thank you. Now...me and Ben's father are actually heading out for a trip...but Ben is upstairs."

Devi smiles, nodding her head, "I know the way. Thank you...and enjoy your trip."

Devi turns away, walking up the stairs and taking the familiar path to the guest room. She stops just outside of Ben's room, hit instantly with nerves.

She goes to knock, deciding that she isn't yet ready to talk to him. She turns around, continuing in the direction of the guest room.

She walks in, switching on the light and looking around.

She opens her bag, beginning to go around the room to collect her things and put them away. 

She pauses, looking around and sighing.

As strange as it sounded...she was going to miss this place. This room...which had become a safe space for her over the last week. This house...she was going to miss Ben.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear someone walk into the room behind her.

"Devi?" Ben's confused voice snaps her out of her thoughts. She jumps, turning to face him. He's leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest.

"Ben! Hey...sorry. I, uh...your parents know I'm here. I was just grabbing the rest of my stuff to take home." She explains, her voice shaking slightly with nerves.

Ben frowns, nodding, "Oh...so you're going back home then?" he tries to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

Devi nods, turning around to continue packing her things.

"Yeah...me and my mom worked things out. She decided that we aren't moving to India anymore." Devi explains.

Ben lets out a sigh of relief, smiling slightly, "That's great!" he exclaims, mentally slapping himself for how excited he sounded, "I mean...it's great that you worked things out!"

Devi nods in agreement.

A silence falls upon them, and Ben frowns as he watches Devi pack the remainder of her items into her bag.

"Devi?" Ben breathes out. Devi freezes, turning around to look at him again.

"Yeah?" She asks, eyebrows raised.

Ben takes a deep breath as we walks foward slightly, "I...uh. I'm glad you aren't moving to India." he confesses, looking down at the ground.

Devi's eyes widen, "You...you are?" 

Ben nods, smiling shyly at her. Devi smiles softly, sitting down on the bed and fidgeting with her hands.

"I am too. I mean...you already know that I didn't want to go in the first place...but..." she pauses, still not looking up to meet his eyes, "I'd miss it here. I'd miss school, Eleanor and Fabiola...you." she confesses.

Ben raises his eyebrows, as if he's shocked to hear that someone would actually miss him.

He cautiously walked foward, sitting down beside her on the bed, "You'd miss me?"

Devi nods, turning to meet his eyes, "Of course I would. A few weeks ago, I'm not sure I'd have the same response. But...yeah."

Ben frowns, nodding, "Yeah. I've been such a dick to you for so long. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't miss me."

Devi shrugs, "I mean...we've equally been dicks to eachother for years now. I would've missed our rivalry, but...I definitely would miss this..." she gestures between the two of them, "even more." 

Ben nods in agreement, looking down at his lap.

"Devi...listen. I know I probably confused you with all of these mixed signals. I mean...I was a dick to you, and two days later I was trying to kiss you at my party." Ben explains.

Devi shakes her head, "Ben, I-"

Ben interrupts her, "Can I just finish saying this?"

Devi nods, gesturing for him to continue.

"I told you before how I made other people's days shitty to try and make myself feel better. And unfortunately you always took the blunt of my misdirected anger..." he continues, standing up to pace.

"There's no excuse for a lot of the things I've said and done to you...and I regret all of it. Eventually, I began to realize that I was less angry because of my life, and more angry because I was jealous..." 

Devi furrows her eyebrows, looking at him with a confused look.

"Jealous?" She asks.

Ben nods, turning red with embarrassment.

"I was jealous of you and Paxton. The way he got your attention, the way he got to spend time with you...and it made me lash out even more. The only way I thought to get some of that attention was to push your buttons..." he explains.

Devi smiles, looking down at the ground.

"I'm...really sorry for all of the horrible things I've said to you. But, Devi...I hope you know that I've always liked you. And especially now..." He finishes off.

Devi slowly stands up, walking over to Ben and resting a hand on his arm, turning him to face her.

"Hey..." she says softly, meeting his eyes.

"It's okay, Ben. I forgive you. I think all of these recent events have proven that." she admits, referring to their very recent kiss from earlier in the day.

Ben smiles, relief covering his face.

"Can I...hug you?" Ben asks shyly, mentally slapping himself for how lame he sounded.

He groans, shaking his head, "Ugh...that was the most lame thing I've ever said, I'm sorry...that was so-"

"Ben..." Devi interrupts his tangent with a smirk, "You've said more lame things in the past. Just hug me, you dork."

Ben laughs, walking forward to wrap Devi in his arms. Devi wraps her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. Her heart starts racing again.

"Ben..." Devi breathes out. 

She pulls away to look at him, "Thank you, for everything. For letting me stay here, for pushing me to spread my father's ashes, for...never going easy on me. Just...everything."

Ben's eyes well up with tears, as if he'd never heard anyone express gratitude like that for him before.

He is at a loss for words, so instead he rests a hand on the side of her face, searching her eyes for permission to kiss her.

Devi glances down at his lips, and then back up at him.

Slowly he leans in. Just before their lips press together Devi's phone buzzes.

She pulls away from Ben, laughing awkwardly.

"Sorry...that's probably my mom. She promised to do better with the going easy on me thing but...I'm still at a boy's house." She explains.

Ben laughs, "That's okay. You should check that."

Devi nods, walking over to her bag and grabbing her phone. For the first time that day she unlocks it, seeing missed calls from Paxton, and a voicemail. 

Devi immediately drops down on the bed, eyes wide with shock as she scrambles to get to the voicemail.

Her hand shakes as she clicks the listen button, bringing her phone up to her ear.

"Oh...hey. I'm in your neighborhood. Thought maybe we could...hangout. It seems like you're busy. So...anyway, you could call or text or...whatever. Okay..." Paxton's voice rings out over her phone.

Devi's eyes widen, her hand shaking as the voicemail comes to an end. 

"Shit..." she breathes out, frozen in her spot.

Ben furrows his eyebrows in confusion, "Is everything okay?" He asks.

Devi snaps out of her trance, slowly lowering the phone from her ear.

"I...I don't know." She admits. Ben walks closer, but Devi jumps up from the bed.

"Do you think you could give me a ride home? My, uh...my mom needs me for something." Devi lies, sighing when she realizes shes lying to another person she cares about.

Ben nods, "Of course. Let me just get my keys..." he says, walking out of the room in the direction of his room.

Devi falls back onto the bed, head spinning from everything that had just taken place.

She almost just kissed Ben again...they confessed their feelings.

Paxton just asked her to hangout after pushing her away.

What was she going to do?  
~


	3. Car Ride Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After what can be considered as one of the most hectic and emotional days Devi has had, following her father's death of course, Ben gives Devi a ride home. Devi is happy their conversation went so well...but knows that she has to tell him about Paxton. How will Ben react to Devi's confession?

"Ready to go?" Ben asks Devi once he returns to the guest room...keys in hand.

Devi nods, standing up from the bed and grabbing her bag, following him down the steps and to the car.

She throws her bag into the backseat of the car, jumping into the passenger seat next to Ben.

She quickly glances over at Ben, who offers her a small smile. She smiles back, turning to lean her head against the window.

Silence falls between them, Devi lost in the sea of her own thoughts. 

Ben glances over at her several times, a concerned look on his face. He isn't sure of what is wrong, but he could tell something is off with Devi. 

"Hey...is everything okay?" He asks softly, eyes still focused on the road.

Devi turns to face him, forcing a smile, "Yeah...everything is great." she lies.

Ben can see right through the façade. He frowns, "Devi...after knowing you for so long...I think its fair to say I can tell when you aren't okay."

Devi frowns, "Really? If that was the case, wouldn't you have approached me the many times in school where I wasn't okay? Or at the parties?" she snaps.

Ben is taken aback by her sudden outburst, and he flinches.

"Hey...you're absolutely right. But in my defense we weren't always close enough for me to easily approach you like that." He counters.

Devi sighs, rubbing her face, "You're right...that wasn't fair of me to say. I'm sorry."

Ben shakes his head, "It's okay. I've cared for a long time, even if I never said it. I wish I would've quit being a dick and just put it out there..."

Devi smiles, "That's okay."

Ben shakes his head, "It's not. I wish I was the one who helped you the night you were attacked by the coyote, or the night at my party when you had that fight with your friends and fell in the pool...there are so many times where I wish I sucked up my pride and ego and just acted on my feelings."

Devi's eyes widen at the confession, at a complete loss for words.

"I know I wasn't always there...but just know that I see you. And right now...I'm here." Ben confesses.

Devi sighs, turning to look out the window again.

"Ben...there's something that I need to talk to you about." Devi confesses. 

Ben furrows his eyebrows together, quickly glancing over at her, "What is it?"

Devi lets out a shaky breath, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Could you pull over around the corner...I don't want my mom to interrupt this conversation." Devi asks. Ben nods, pulling over around the corner from Devi's house, putting the car in park.

He turns to face her, concern on his face, "What did you want to talk about?"

Devi sits back in her seat, fidgeting with her fingers.

"There's something that I need to tell you." She says with a shaky voice.

Ben frowns, gesturing for her to continue. Devi takes a deep breath.

"The night of your party, after that whole...fight with my friends...Paxton took me home." Devi explains.

Ben tilts his head, "Yeah, I figured...I saw you leave with him."

Devi nods, "Yeah...but that's not what I wanted to tell you."

Ben is silent, giving her a patient look.

"That night...Paxton and I kissed." Devi finally confesses, feeling like a weight is off her shoulders.

She looks up to meet Ben's eyes, trying to gauge his feelings. She saw many emotions cross his face.

Shock. Confusion. Hurt. Anger. Disappointment.

Ben turned away from her to look at the street ahead, sighing.

"You kissed Paxton?" He questions, hurt evident in his voice.

Devi shakes her head, "No...he kissed me. And it lasted like five seconds. But yeah...we kissed."

"And tonight...that voicemail I got was from Paxton. He wanted to hangout with me...I'm not sure exactly what that meant after everything that went down."

Ben nods, fidgeting with his hands.

"So...that night that you rejected me...twice. It was because of Paxton?" Ben asks, voice quiet.

Devi frowns, "No, Ben...It had nothing to do with Paxton. At that point...I didn't know how I felt about...us. Or what we even were. I had so much going on at once...and let's not forget about Shira...your girlfriend."

Ben nods, "Ex-girlfriend, after that night." he corrects her.

Devi raises an eyebrow, "Ex? You broke up?"

Ben nods, "After that whole awkward situation between us, I realized that I couldn't be with Shira anymore. I couldn't pretend to be happy with her when I had feelings for you."

Devi nods in understanding.

"When you kissed me today...was that like a, rebound kiss? Because of everything that went down between you and Paxton?" Ben asks, face looking prepared for pain.

Devi pauses for a second, shaking her head.

"No, it wasn't a rebound kiss. Ben...when I kissed you, it was because I genuinely felt something for you. Feel something for you." Devi confesses.

Ben's eyes widen, looking to be processing what he just heard.

"But...what about Paxton's voicemail? The kiss...isn't there something going on there?" Ben asks.

Devi shrugs, "Honestly? I don't know. He's giving me whiplash. I havent talked to him since the whole "sex rumors." This is the first time I've heard from him, and I know I have to talk to him eventually."

Ben frowns, looking down at his lap.

"And if he wants to be with you?" Ben questions, voice quiet.

Devi sighs, "I doubt that highly, Ben. But I have to be honest...I don't know what I want. Paxton started out as a drug...a way to forget everything going on in my life. A distraction..."

She pauses, "But you...Ben, you're different. You saved me when I needed it the most. And even if I can't explain how I feel for you completely, I know I feel something."

Ben finally turns to meet Devi's eyes, a small smile on his face.

"Really?" He asks.

Devi nods, "Ben...I'm kind of a disaster. I have a lot of problems I need to figure out before I could be with someone. I don't want to burden you..."

Ben shakes his head, reaching over to rest his hand on top of Devi's. Devi's heart starts racing again.

"You could never burden me, Devi. I want you to take all the time you need. We don't need to have labels, or anything like that. But, I want to be here for you. I want to help you through this...If you'll let me." Ben confesses.

Devi squeezes his hand, looking up to meet his eyes.

"I'd really like that." Devi agrees, smiling softly at him.

Ben lets out a sigh of relief.

"I know this is a bad time to ask but...can I kiss you?" Ben asks softly. Devi rolls her eyes, grinning at him.

"You're such a dork..." She jabs at him, leaning in to connect their lips together. Ben brings his hand up to rest softly on her cheek, pulling her closer.

They break apart for air, foreheads resting together. 

Ben pulls away, looking down at his watch, "We better get you home...before your mom raises the spice level accordingly to get back at me for keeping you out late."

Devi laughs, genuinely laughs, for the first time in what seemed like forever. She punches his arm, turning to lean back into her seat.

Ben scoffs at her punch, rubbing at his arm.

"Hey! What was that for? Haven't I gotten enough hits, physically and verbally, lately?" Ben whines.

Devi smiles, "Maybe...but that wasn't a friendship one this time."

Ben blushes, putting the car into drive and driving the remainder of distance to Devi's house.

He pulls up outside of her house, parking the car and turning to look at Devi.

Devi has never seen Ben's eyes so soft and caring before...it's almost overwhelming.

"Thank you again...Ben. For everything. I'll miss living with you at your casa." Devi admits.

Ben smiles, "Mi casa es su casa...always." 

Devi blushes, looking down at her lap.

"Well...I probably should go. You know...Before my mom loses her mind." Devi says. 

She opens the door, jumping out of the car and turning to face Ben. Ben hands her the bag, smiling at her. She climbs back into the car, kissing him on the cheek.

"You're gross, Gross." Devi teases, shutting the door and walking up to her house. She turns around to wave at Ben, who's grinning at her.

Devi walks into the house, closing the door and leaning against it, smiling.

She knew that tomorrow she'd have to face Paxton...to talk to him and lay everything out on the table.

And after that, she'd have to decide what was best for her. For now...she'd savor this feeling she had from being with Ben.

~


	4. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devi wakes up the morning after her two kisses with Ben Gross, feeling on top of the world. She quickly realizes that she still needs to have a very important conversation with Paxton. And she wasn't sure how it was going to go. What happens when a conversation ends up making things worse than they already were?

The next morning Devi wakes up, a smile immediately coming across her features as she remembers the events of the night before.

She kissed Ben not once, but twice. And she realized she had feelings for him.

To be honest, this was the most alive and at peace that Devi had felt in a long time. That was, of course, until she remembered what she had to do today.

She had to talk to Paxton.

The thought left her slightly terrified, and she didn't know what to expect. She was surprised he'd even wanted to talk to her after publically rejecting her.

She knew that she owed him an explanation, honesty, and even an apology. But she also needed to lay her feelings out on the table.

In the back of her mind...she knew Ben was the one she wanted to be with; the one who would be good for her. Continuing to pursue Paxton was only going to make everything else in her life even more difficult, and the relationships with everyone around her even more strained than they already were.

She'd been so focused on the pursuit of Paxton...the idea of him, that she'd lost all sense of priority. She nearly lost her two bestfriends for good, and her mother, too.

Not only that, but she nearly destroyed a friendship between her and Paxton, because she viewed him more as an object, or a prize to be won, than a person.

And that wasn't fair to him. She only hoped that coming clean to him entirely would help shed some light on the situation.

She sighed, pushing away her nerves and got up to get ready for the day.

She'd decided that she would talk to Paxton during lunch at school, hoping she'd be able to catch him alone without his possé. 

After getting dressed in one of her more normal outfits, she made her way down into the kitchen.

She smiles when she sees Kamala making breakfast, and her mother sitting at the table reading the paper.

Her mother looks up, taking off her reading glasses and offering her a smile, "Good morning, Devi. I hope you slept well."

Devi smiles, "I did...thanks. I mean...Ben's guest room had a quite comfortable mattress, but...I missed being in my bed."

Nalini smiles, "I'm glad you're home."

Kamala nods in agreement, "I am glad she is too. Although I didn't really sell your mother on the whole dishwasher thing." she smiles at Devi apologetically.

Devi laughs, and Nalini narrows her eyes, "Dishwashers are for the rich and privileged. In this household...we clean our own dishes."

Devi rolls her eyes, sitting down at the table to join her mother and Kamala for breakfast. 

After a nice family breakfast that consisted of a lot of talking about her father's ceremony and Ben's completely killer mansion...it was time for Devi to head to school.

She climbed into the car next to her mother, pulling out her phone to compose a text to Paxton.

She takes a deep breath, typing her message.

Devi: Paxton...hey. I'm sorry for missing your call...I got tied up with some family stuff. Would you be able to talk at lunch?"

She puts her phone down in her lap, picking it up a few seconds later when it buzzes.

Paxton: No problem. Sure thing...see you then Devi

Devi smiles in relief at him agreeing to talk. Her phone buzzes again and she turns it over, smiling when she sees who its from.

Ben.

"Hey, David. Can't wait to kick your butt on that history test today ;)"

Devi rolls her eyes, laughing as she types back a response...

"In your dreams, gross. Also...I'm sure I could beat your score easily since you'll be too distracted staring at me to focus." She types back.

A few seconds later, Ben replies...

"I'm the king of multitasking...its one of my many skills." 

Devi tries to ignore the way her heart flutters at Ben not denying the idea of staring at her. She smiles, putting her phone down into her lap.  
~  
The day goes by relatively fast, and before Devi realizes it...it's time for her to talk to Paxton. She makes her way to her locker, quickly tossing in her morning books and grabbing what she needed, closing it and making her way to the courtyard. 

When she gets outside, she scans the crowd of students for sight of Paxton. Finally, she spots him sitting on the stone wall away from everyone.

She takes a deep breath, composing herself before she makes her way over to him.  
~  
"Hey Paxton." Devi greets him as she stops in front of him.

Paxton looks up at her, offering her a small smile, "Devi, hey."

"Thanks for agreeing to meet me. I wasn't sure you would since you didn't seem to want to talk to me." Devi says. 

Paxton sighs, "Yeah...Sorry about that, uh...that was kind of out of line..."

Devi shakes her head, taking off her backpack and jumping up to sit next to him.

"It wasn't. I didn't blame you for wanting to avoid me...especially after how my mom treated you...and how I treated you." Devi explains.

Paxton shrugs, "It's okay. Honestly...I shouldn't have snapped at you like I did. It wasn't your fault..."

Devi smiles at him, "It's okay."

Paxton clears his throat, "Uh...so...is everything okay? I mean...the stuff you mentioned with your family." he questions.

"At first I thought you were avoiding me...which I wouldn't blame you for." Paxton adds.

Devi shakes her head, "No...that wasn't it. Uh...a lot has been going on, it's a long story. But...yesterday was my father's birthday. I went to Malibu to spread his ashes."

Paxton nods his head in understanding, "Oh...that must've been rough..." he says, trying his best to sound sympathetic.

Devi nods, "It wasn't easy. I wasn't going to go at first but...a friend persuaded me to go."

Paxton nods, silence falling between them.

"So...about that voicemail I sent you..." Paxton starts, breaking the silence.

Devi sighs, nodding her head, "Yeah...I was just about to bring that up."

"Uh...I'm not really good at...THIS." Paxton admits, gesturing between them, "But I would like for us to hangout."

Devi smiles, "I would like that too. Uh...but there's just something I want to put out there first."

Paxton nods, gesturing for her to talk. Devi takes a deep breath, "Uh...first I wanted to apologize to you...for everything."

Paxton gives her a questioning look.

"Look...I'm really sorry for letting people believe that we hooked up. And for not correcting them. It was really shitty." She begins. Paxton nods, shrugging his shoulders.

"It's alright..." He says. Devi shakes her head.

"It's not. I was so focused on my own selfish wants driven by my own insecurities...I didn't even think about how it would affect you. You didn't deserve that." Devi explains.

Paxton laughs softly, "That's okay. A lot of girls tend to talk about me like that."

Devi ignores the way that her heart stings at him mentioning many girls.

"Yeah...um...but I also wanted to apologize for my mom. She's kind of extremely protective over me...plus we weren't really getting along. You were just the victim of her misdirected anger." She continues.

Paxton shrugs, "Yeah that was unexpected. But uh...its cool. A lot of people insult my intelligence...or lack of it."

Devi frowns, looking over at him, "Paxton...don't listen to anyone. You aren't dumb."

He smiles small at her, "Thanks...I mean I'm no Devi Vishwakumar but..."

Devi smiles at the compliment, pushing his shoulder, "Oh stop."  
~  
Ben's mind has been occupied by two very important things since the night before.

One...his very important history test which was coming up right after lunch (although he knew all of the material like the back of his hand...and knew he'd ace it)

And two...Devi Vishwakumar.

He kept replaying their not one, but two kisses that had taken place the previous night. He couldn't help but smile, almost not believing that his former-nemesis had become the object of his affection.

He completely understood Devi's feelings, and not wanting to rush into anything. He suggested they don't put labels on anything yet...instead just allowing her time to deal with her grief and feelings.

That was okay with him, especially since she agreed to let him help her through everything.

Finally, someone needed him. He could finally have some worth.

Ben smiled, walking through the school hallway with a newfound confidence that he never had before.

He went to his locker, switching out his books and grabbing his lunch. He planned on finding Devi so they could talk.

In all honesty, he still looked foward to their daily banter...it was the highlight of his days.

He closed his locker, making his way in the direction of the courtyard. Once he gets outside he scans the crowd for the familiar beautiful girl.

Finally he spots Devi, the smile slowly fading from his face as he notices Paxton sitting next to her.

They appear to be in deep conversation, sitting very close and whispering. Devi laughs and pushes Paxton's shoulder.

Ben frowns, ignoring the way his heart stings with jealousy and hurt.

Usually Devi did that to him.

They continue to talk, and Ben realizes that he shouldnt stare anymore (besides the fact that seeing it hurts too much).

He doesn't want to overreact, especially since he promised Devi he would give her time to figure things out with Paxton. He just needed to trust her.

But he also couldn't ignore the insecurities that swirled around inside his mind, and had been since Devi first made her infatuation with Paxton public.

It had bothered him since the first time Paxton and his chiseled cheekbones and perfect figure came strolling into their class, effectively ruining his life (Okay...that was a bit dramatic, but its fine)

Ben sighs, turning around and walking back into school, deciding that he'd sit in the cafeteria today.  
~  
"Paxton...there's something I need to tell you." Devi explains, and Paxton raises his eyebrows.

"Yeah? Me too..." He replies. Devi nods.

"Uh...just let me go first?" She asks. Paxton nods, gesturing for her to continue.

She sighs, "I don't know if this even matters or is important, but I figured I should put it out there..."

Paxton raises an eyebrow at her.

Devi's heart starts racing, "Uh...Me and Ben Gross kind of, kissed...yesterday." She confesses.

She watches as Paxton's face goes through many emotions, most of which she can't read. He doesn't tend to make it easy to read him, he's a closed book, cool and composed.

Finally he sets on a neutral expression, "Oh..."

Devi raises an eyebrow, not sure to make of his response.

"Ben Gross, as in geeky Ben Gross from history class?" He questions. Devi's eyes widen at the jab he'd taken.

"Uh...yeah, that Ben." She confirms. 

Paxton laughs, and Devi feels a pit form in her stomach.

"What's so funny about that?" She questions. Paxton smirks.

"I don't know. I just...don't understand how that happened. I mean you both practically hate eachother, and he's a total stuck up rich boy, and a loser." Paxton insults.

Devi scoffs, "Paxton...don't say that. He's not any of those things, actually. He's more than what you think." she defends him.

Paxton raises an eyebrow, "I don't see the appeal. But...whatever works for you."

Devi jumps off the wall from her spot, turning to look at Paxton.

"You know what, Paxton? I was trying to be open and honest with you about everything, hoping that we could continue to be friends. But now, I'm not so sure that's a good idea..." Devi snaps.

Paxton looks up at her, his face remaining neutral.

"What?" He asks.

Devi frowns, "You know what? You can think what you want about him...Paxton. But Ben was the ONE person here for me when I needed someone. You didn't even know what was going on with me, because you were busy being angry at me and avoiding me..." she snaps.

Paxton's face morphs into one of shock.

"I-" He tries to talk, but Devi can't stop herself.

"No...you know who was here when I ran away from home and had no where to go? Ben. And you know who went out of his way to be there for me when I was grieving my father? Ben. He drove me all the way to Malibu and stayed." She informs him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Paxton looks completely taken aback and at a loss for words. He wasn't used to all of this emotional, drama stuff...and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Devi...I didn't know-" Paxton tries to explain, but Devi wasn't having any of it.

She laughs, "Funny, Paxton. Of course you didn't know...because you didn't care to know."

She picks up her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. She turns back to look at Paxton.

"I'm sorry again for everything, Paxton. But...you don't get to insult my friends, especially when you haven't acted like one." Devi finishes off, leaving Paxton in shock as she exits the courtyard and walks back into school.

She storms past the cafeteria, ignoring the looks in her direction, and walks to the front of the school where she could be alone.

That couldn't have gone worse. And now she doesn't know what to do.  
~  
Ben is sitting in the cafeteria when he begins to hear whispers. He looks up, trying to see what everyone is looking at.

He see's Devi storm by the cafeteria, very obviously upset, and he frowns. He immediately jumps up from his seat, collecting his stuff and following after her.

He decides to put aside his very immature and unnecessary jealousy of Paxton, in favor of supporting Devi.

Finally after searching the school hallways, he finds Devi sitting against a wall, head in her hands.

He frowns, "Devi?" he asks.

What had happened to her?


	5. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following her rather disappointing and hurtful conversation with Paxton, Devi finds herself in an abandoned hallway crying...but not for the reason that you would expect. What happens when someone finds her...and she's forced to finally face up to her deepest feelings?

Devi finally gets far enough away from everyone, letting her emotions completely take over. 

It's no secret that Devi had a history of not handling her emotions properly. When she faced even the smallest inconvenience, she tended to fly off the handle...exploding and unable to stop.

This time was no different, although this time was infact VERY different.

Usually her and Ben would jab at eachother all day long, most of his insults lingering in her mind until she ended up losing it.

This time...she lost it because someone else was insulting Ben. And for some reason, one for which she already knew, it had bothered her. 

She couldn't get Paxton's words out of her head. She slid down the wall in an abandoned hallway, pulling her knees to her chest and letting all of her emotions out.

Instead of anger, this time, she couldn't help but let her tears fall. 

She cried silently until a soft voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Devi?" A familiar voice called out to her. She immediately knew who it was, and looked up to see Ben.

She quickly tried to wipe the tears from her eyes and make herself somewhat presentable, but it was too late. Ben was already looking at her with concern.

"Ben...hey." She greeted him, her voice betraying her and cracking. 

"Are you okay?" He asks. Devi forces a smile, nodding her head.

"Yeah. I'm uh...I'm great." She lies. Ben does not look convinced.

He sighs, "David...I can tell when you're lying. Remember how I said I would be here for you? I meant that." he says, his voice so genuine that it made Devi start to cry again.

Ben's eyes widen, he immediately drops his bag and slides down the wall beside her, turning to look at her.

"Hey..." he breathes out, resting a hand on her arm, "Talk to me, Devi."

Devi takes a deep breath, slowly looking up at him. She rubs at her eyes, which are now red from crying...tears of frustration, anger, sadness.

"I...uh. I just talked to Paxton." She explains, voice cracking. Ben nods.

"I know...I uh, I saw you two sitting together. I'm guessing that it didn't go like you hoped?" he questions.

Devi shakes her head, "No, not at all."

Ben frowns, "Do you want to talk about what happened? We don't have to...but if it will make you feel better." 

Devi sighs, "It was going well at first. I just was honest with him about everything. I thought it was going well, but then it just turned completely upside down."

Ben tries to ignore the anger towards Paxton that he started to feel. What did he say to upset Devi? Ben knew that he wasn't that intimidating, and that there was no chance in hell he could win a fight against Paxton Hall-Yoshida or his friends.

He sure would try though for Devi.

Ben is silent, giving her time to talk.

"I, uh...I told Paxton about how we kissed. And...things went downhill from there." Devi confesses, looking down at her lap.

Ben's eyes widen. His heart races at the mention of their kiss (kisses) that they shared. 

"What happened?" Ben asks.

Devi pauses, "He got angry and started insulting you. And at that point I started seeing red, snapped at him and then I ended up here in this hallway...crying like a bitch."

Ben tries to process what he was hearing. He pushes his many thoughts aside, "Devi...you are not a bitch for crying. Don't put yourself down. Also...who cares what he says about me?..." Ben says, and Devi snaps her head up, feeling anger.

"I care, Ben! I care!" She snaps, taking Ben by surprise, "You've been here for me through everything. When I had nobody...you were there. You've always been there. And it drives me insane that people could put you down when they don't know you!"

Ben feels his heart start racing at the confession. Nobody had ever cared about him this much. And nobody had ever defended him against people's hurtful words.

Devi was right, people didn't know him. That was because he hid behind his tough, heartless school persona.

And Devi was able to see right through that. That didn't surprise him at all.

"Devi...I-" Ben finds himself getting choked up. He'd really been an emotional wreck lately.

"Ben...I know that we've had our moments. But...the one constant in my life has always been this. You...US. You never treated me differently after my father died, you kept competing against me and pushing me. You never saw me as weak..." Devi says.

Ben's face softens, feeling almost overwhelmed by everything that Devi was saying.

"That's because you've never been weak, Devi. You're the strongest person I know. And that made me stronger." He admits.

Devi smiles, "I know I probably look like such an idiot right now for crying. But it wasn't even Paxton's cold behavior towards me that upset me. It was that he insulted you."

Devi wipes at her eyes again, "I'm the only one who gets to insult you." she teases, smirking at him.

Ben laughs, rolling his eyes fondly.

"I agree. Although I'm so used to people talking about me, that I don't really care what they think..." Ben explains, "I just care what you think." he admits, looking down at the ground.

Devi's eyes widen. She finally turns to face him, a smile slowly appearing on her face.

"You may be a nerd, sometimes cocky and extremely annoying..." Devi jokes, laughing when Ben's face morphs into mock offense.

She reaches foward to grab his hand, interlocking their fingers together, "But I've never cared about anyone the way I do about you." she confesses.

Ben's heart races. He slowly leans forward, resting his hand on her cheek and bringing her in to connect their lips together.

Devi rests her hand on his chest, giving him momentary flashbacks of their first kiss. They pull apart, and Ben stands up, offering his hand to her.

She takes it, standing up and running a hand through her hair.

"As much as I'd like to sit here kissing you all day, we should probably get to class. We don't want to miss our very exciting history test."

Devi nods, groaning, "Oh god...I forgot about history class. I probably look like such a mess. I'm giving Paxton exactly what he wanted...satisfaction." 

Ben shakes his head, "Devi...you can never look like a mess, atleast not to me." he says, pushing a piece of hair from her face and rubbing his thumb across her cheek.

Devi leans into the touch.

"You still look beautiful...And I'll still get distracted by you as I usually do in our classes." He admits, causing Devi to crack a smile.

Ben smiles, gesturing for her to follow him. They walk side-by-side to class. Before they enter the class, Ben pulls Devi aside.

"Hey...I know Paxton set you off but...don't let it get to you. He probably has something going on and misdirected his anger at you. I can tell he cares about you...just give it some time..." Ben comforts her.

It took a lot out of him to defend Paxton Hall-Yoshida, especially when his deep-rooted insecurities constantly made him compare himself to him. But he knew deep down that Paxton's presence in Devi's life meant something to her...they were friends.

Devi nods, smiling gratefully at him.

"Thanks, Ben. Let's get inside so I can destroy you at this test." Devi teases. 

Ben scoffs, "After how nice I was to you...this is how you treat me?" he cries out.

Devi laughs, shoving his shoulder.

There was the usual banter that he loved. He smiles.

"Let's go gross. We're both going to do great." She says. Ben nods, following her inside the classroom. 

"Yeah...but I might do slightly better..." Ben jabs, and Devi scoffs, laughing. She ignores Paxton's gaze that lingers on her, the slight conflicted look on his face that Ben picks up on.

They sit in their seats, continuing to talk until class starts. 

During the test Devi gets a tap on the shoulder, turning around to meet her two friends very confused looks. They gesture to Ben.

Devi smiles, gesturing that she'd explain after class. Fabiola and Eleanor give eachother knowing looks...focusing back on their tests.

Devi returns her attention to her test, looking up to glance at Ben, who's already looking at her.

He grins at her, looking back at his test.

Next came the hardest step so far...being honest with her two bestfriends about everything that had transpired.  
~


	6. The Right Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devi finally has the chance to open up to her bestfriends about everything that has transpired over the last 24 hours. She also manages to gain some perspective from them, which helps her decide what the best decision is for her. More like...who the best person is for her. Although its as if she'd known all along.

After class, Devi and Ben walk out of class talking about their test and how they thought they did. 

"My mind was so all over the place. I'm usually so focused...I'm not sure that I even did well." Devi sighs. 

Ben frowns. He's always hated to hear Devi doubt herself and her capabilities. He knew that he usually was the source, or atleast a source, of that self-doubt...since he always tried to throw his accomplishments in her face.

He regretted that now, of course. And it hurt more than ever to hear her doubting herself.

Ben shakes his head, "Devi...don't say that. I bet you did great. And even if you didn't...we all have off days. You can't be perfect all the time." he says.

Devi rolls her eyes, "Have you SEEN me, Ben? I am perfect all the time." she jokes, flipping her hair.

Ben smirks, "Okay valid point..." he says, looking at her. Devi blushes, looking down at the ground as they walk to their lockers.

"But seriously...don't doubt yourself. Even I have off days...like how I got a 90 on a math test last week." Ben continues.

Devi rolls her eyes, shoving his shoulder, "You're such a dork. That's still an A."

Ben laughs, and Devi smiles at him, "But thanks."

Ben nods as they approach their lockers, silence falling between them as they exchange their books. Suddenly Fabiola and Eleanor run up to Devi, nearly knocking Ben over in the process.

Devi tries to suppress a snort, looking at them with a confused look.

Ben shoots them a glare, and they glance back at him, "Oh...sorry Ben."

He shrugs, turning back to his locker.

Neither of the girls say a word to Devi, just stare at her. Devi turns her attention from her locker to look at them, "What?" she asks.

"It's been one day and it feels like we've missed so much! What is going on with you and Ben?" Eleanor exclaims a little louder than Devi appreciates.

Devi shoots her a glare, and Eleanor tilts her head.

Devi silently gestures to Ben, who is standing behind them and pretending not to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Eleanor and Fabiola turn around, and Ben looks away from his locker, shooting them an awkward smile.

Eleanor smiles at him, "Oh, right...Ben. Sorry...forgot you were still there..." she says. 

"I've literally been here the whole time." Ben responds, and Eleanor shoos him away.

Ben scoffs, grabbing his books and shutting his locker. He turns to look at Devi, who is sending him an apologetic look. He grins at her.

"See you later, Devi." He says softly as he walks in the opposite direction. Devi smiles, watching as he walks away.

Eleanor steps in front of her, blocking her view of Ben. She shifts her focus onto her friends, who are still looking at her with confused looks.

"Devi...do you mind explaining to us what just happened?" Eleanor says. Devi turns to face her locker, collecting the rest of her books.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Devi deflects, closing her locker and turning to walk away from them.

The girls run to catch up with her, walking on either side of her.

"You know EXACTLY what we're talking about. How you and Ben were acting in class. How you just smiled at him and stared as he walked away..." Fabiola points out.

Devi rolls her eyes, "Come on, you guys. I think you're reading too far into this."

Eleanor shoves her shoulder, and Devi scoffs.

"What the hell was that for?" She asks, rubbing at her shoulder.

"We just made up. You promised that we'd be honest with eachother now. And we can tell somethings up. So spill." Eleanor explains.

Devi sighs, stopping and turning to face them.

"Fine...but it's kind of a lot. Do you think we could talk about this after school? Where I know nobody is eavesdropping on us." Devi asks.

Both girls nod and give her a smile. Devi hears a bang and someone curse, making all three girls turn around in the direction of the sound.

Devi walks over to the corner of the hallway, and sees Ben holding his head.

"Ben...what the hell are you doing?" She questions.

Ben stands up straight, an embarrassed look on his face. 

"I was just...uh..." He says, fumbling with words to come up with an excuse.

"You were...eavesdropping?" Devi guesses, earning a small nod from him. She laughs, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry Ben...but you aren't going to hear what I tell my friends about you." Devi informs him. 

Ben laughs, "I don't know if that should scare me or not..."

Devi shakes her head, "It shouldn't. I'm not going to say anything bad..."

Ben lets out a sigh of relief, nodding his head.

"So...what good things are you going to say then?" He asks. Devi rolls her eyes at him, shoving his shoulder.

"Ben...go to class." She teases.

Ben smiles, quickly walking in the direction of his next class. Devi smiles fondly at him...turning to walk back towards her friends.

"Sorry about that. I'll see you both after school?" Devi questions. Both girls nod, smiling at her. Devi nods, them all walking in separate directions.  
~  
"Wait...you what?!" Fabiola and Eleanor exclaim at the same time as they all sit on Fabiola's couch.

Devi rolls her eyes, "I kissed Ben. Three times..." she repeats. Fabiola and Eleanor's eyes widen.

"I knew something was going on between you two. I know we've been kind of absent but...when we saw you staying at his house and how he persuaded you to go to Malibu...we just knew." Fabiola explains.

"What exactly happened?" Eleanor asks.

Devi smiles, "Uh...Ben drove me to Malibu just in time. After my father's ceremony I saw Ben asleep in his car. He waited...told me that he wanted to make sure I was okay, and next thing I knew I was kissing him." 

Eleanor and Fabiola squeal, clapping their hands together.

"Oh my god...this is so perfect! Enemies to lovers...the best entertainment trope that there is!" Eleanor squeals out, and Devi raises an eyebrow.

"Sure...whatever that means. Uh...but it gets more complicated." Devi adds.

Fabiola and Eleanor share a look, turning back to look at her. 

"How is it complicated? You like him and he likes you...isn't that simple?" Eleanor asks.

Fabiola reads Devi's serious facial expression, sighing.

"Eleanor, you're forgetting one kind of major thing in this plot." She informs her. Eleanor shoots her a confused look.

"Paxton." Fabiola adds, and Eleanor's eyes widen.

"Oh...right! I almost forgot...Devi, what happened with that?" Eleanor asks.

Devi sighs, "Uh...I was too busy kissing Ben to realize that Paxton had called me, leaving a voicemail saying he wanted to hangout. This was after a week of avoiding me. I tried to talk to him today but...we kind of had a falling out."

The two girls frown at her, "Devi...we're so sorry. Paxton Hall-Yoshida is the worst!" Eleanor yells, and Fabiola nods in agreement.

"Right now...I agree with you. He just got so angry after I told him Ben and I kissed." Devi explains.

Eleanor and Fabiola's eyebrows raise at the same time, and they share a look.

Devi frowns, "What? Am I missing something?"

Fabiola laughs, "Yeah...I think so. Devi...why else would he get mad at the news of you kissing someone else? He likes you." she explains.

Devi's eyes widen, everything suddenly making so much more sense.

"Holy shit...I think you're right." Devi breathes out.

"Wow...I'm almost jealous how your life has literally become a teenage rom-com with a love triangle and angst. That's like...my dream role." Eleanor breathes out, earning a strange look from Devi and Fabiola.

"Guys...what do I do?" Devi pleads, putting her head into her hands.

They sigh, "Devi...you need to think about what's best for you."

Devi sighs, "I don't know. I'm so...lost. I'm confused, and overwhelmed. I need help. What do you guys think?"

Fabiola smiles at her, "Devi...that's your choice to make. Not ours..."

Devi shakes her head, "No. I've been so selfish lately, only thinking about myself. I need to know what you both think. Your opinions matter more than anyone's."

Eleanor and Fabiola glance at eachother, nodding.

"I never thought I'd ever say this...but if I'm being honest, I don't think there's must of a choice. I think the right choice is obvious...and deep down, you know it too." Eleanor says. Fabiola nods in agreement.

Devi nods, "You're right. Thank you guys for being here for me. And for forgiving me. I know I was a shitty friend, but if it weren't for both of you yesterday, and ben..." she freezes after she says Ben, as if everything just fell into place.

"I would've been lost. I love you guys...so much." Devi says. Eleanor and Fabiola cry out "awh" at the same time, both sitting on either side of Devi and hugging her.

Devi smiles, relieved that she finally knows what the right choice is.

She thinks she's known all along.


	7. Happy Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devi's conversation with her friends had left her feeling completely sure of what she'd wanted. Until the last person she'd expected to hear from ended up reaching out to her, leaving her mind spinning again. What happens when Devi has a conversation with this person...and will she be left unsure of what or who she wants?

Later on that night, following a very eye-opening conversation with her bestfriends, Devi finds herself laying on her bed staring at the ceiling. Her mind was racing from the last 24 hours. She finally had a chance to step back and just think.

Devi thought about Paxton...and the fight they'd had earlier that day. She thought about how she'd seen nothing but red...snapping at him before running off to cry in the hallway.

Her thoughts then shifted to Ben, who found her in that hallway, and saved her from herself. He was always saving her when she needed to be saved...when it counted the most. 

Devi was torn from her thoughts when her phone buzzed. She furrowed her eyebrows, rolling over onto her side and grabbing her phone.

She slid it open, eyes widening when she saw a text from Paxton.

"Devi...Hi. I...uh. I'm not really good at this, but I don't like how we left things. Can we please talk tomorrow before school?" 

Devi thinks to herself, and then thinks back to Ben's words earlier that day. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, Paxton did care about her. And she valued his friendship. She decided that she would listen to what he had to say.

Devi: "Sure...meet you at your house?"

A few seconds later, Paxton replies.

"Sounds good. See you then."

Devi locks her phone...tossing it to the side. She laid back to stare at the ceiling, wondering what Paxton wanted to talk about, and what would happen.

Eventually she fell asleep, those thoughts going into the back of her mind.  
~  
The next morning, Devi gets up earlier than usual and gets ready for the day. She decides to dress nicer...not to impress anyone but to give herself some confidence.

She was going to need it.

She stumbles down the stairs, explaining to her mom that she was going to walk to school so she could think, and her mother reluctantly accepted that...giving her breakfast for on the way.

Devi started on her walk to Paxton's house, thinking in her mind of what she was going to say.

What was he going to say?

Eventually Devi turns onto Paxton's street, spotting him sitting on his front steps, appearing to be in deep thought.

Devi takes a deep breath, slowly making her way across the street and approaching him.

Paxton hears her approach, looking up and shooting her a small smile.

"Devi...hey." He greets her. Devi smiles at him, standing a distance away.

Silence falls between them, and Paxton decides to break it, "Devi...listen. There's something I need to say. And you'll need to bear with me because, like I said...I'm not really used to this kind of thing."

Devi nods, slowly walking over to sit next to him.

Paxton sighs, "Devi...I'm sorry for the way I snapped at you yesterday. That was not at all fair of me. You were being honest with me and I decided to be a total dick."

Devi shrugs, "That's okay."

Paxton shakes his head, "It's not. We've both made some pretty shitty mistakes towards eachother...but I kind of crossed the line yesterday."

Devi nods.

"Devi...I'm not going to lie to you. I have feelings for you. It took me awhile to realize it...but I do. And I just projected my jealously towards Ben yesterday, and that wasn't fair." Paxton admits, and Devi's eyes widen.

"You...like me?" Devi asks, and Paxton nods.

"I'm not...used to this. And honestly Devi...you deserve way better than me. I'm just...not the commitment type. I just...am not good with this type of thing." He continues.

Devi nods, surprised that his words weren't stinging more than she expected them to.

"Devi...I've seen the way Ben looks at you. I've noticed it since the beginning. I tried to convince myself that since you paid more attention to me...those looks didnt matter...but they did. and they do." Paxton explains.  
Devi finally looks over at him, and sees Paxton's vulnerability, a look she'd never seen before.

"I care about you, Devi. I do. But Ben...he could treat you better than I can. He cares about you more than you may realize." Paxton finishes off, and Devi is at a loss for words.

"Paxton..." Devi starts, but pauses.

He's right. Everything he said was right.

"Are we...okay? Are we still friends?" Devi asks, sounding way more vulnerable than she wanted to.

She couldn't just erase the fact that she cared about Paxton. He'd been a good friend to her, even when she treated him shitty. He'd saved her several times...and she'd always be grateful for that.

She didn't wanna lose their friendship.

Paxton doesn't hesitate at all when he replies, "Of course, Devi. Always. You'll always be my favorite dork, Devi Vishwakumar."

Devi smiles, leaning foward to pull Paxton into a hug. He laughs, wrapping his arms around her just as tightly.

"Thank you Paxton...for everything." She whispers. 

Paxton pulls away first, looking at the time on his phone, "It's almost time for school. Would you want to drive together?"

Devi nods, smiling, "I'd love that. Especially since I can't walk in these heels anymore."  
Paxton looks at her outfit, cracking a smile, "Arming yourself for battle, huh?" 

Devi laughs, looking down, "Maybe..."

Paxton stands up, and Devi follows him to the car, hopping in beside him.

The drive is quiet...but comfortable silence. Devi and Paxton glance over at eachother, smiling.

This was nice...their friendship. Devi never realized how important it was until now.  
~  
Paxton's car pulls into the school parking lot, and Devi turns to him, "Paxton...thanks for the ride. And...thanks for this morning. I didn't want to lose your friendship."

Paxton smiles at her, "You never could."  
~  
Ben parks his car, walking towards the entrance of the school. He stops when he sees Devi in Paxton's car...them both smiling at eachother. Ben gets a sinking feeling in his stomach, but forces himself to push it aside.

He knew that Devi cared for Paxton, and was happy for her that they made up. Even if it tore him apart, he'd watch Devi be with Paxton if it meant she was happy.

All he wanted was her to be happy.

He frowned, continuing to walk towards school.  
~  
Devi turns towards school, immediately setting eyes on Ben. 

Her heart starts racing, and she smiles.

She couldn't wait to tell Ben how she felt...she was not a big fan of PDA or public love confessions...but she just felt this pull.

Paxton picked up on her vibe, smiling.

"Hey...Little D." He says, making her turn to face him.

"Yeah?" She replies, smiling at the use of her signature nickname.

He gestures towards Ben, "Go to him."

Devi smiles, nodding. She completely forgets her backpack, jumping out of the car and bolting after Ben.

She almost forgot that she was wearing heels. She yelled out, "Ben! Wait up!"

Ben stopped, turning to look at her. The next thing Devi knew she was tripping over the sidewalk, falling onto the ground. She winced, grabbing at her knee.

Ben's eyes widened, and he immediately ran towards her, dropping down beside her.

"Devi, oh my god...are you okay?! What are you doing running in heels?" He rambles out.

Devi looks at a very flustered Ben, who's currently scanning her outfit.

"Wait...why are you wearing heels? I mean...not that its a bad thing...I mean...you look really nice..." Ben rambles on, and Devi completely forgets about her bleeding knee. She looks at him fondly, smiling.

Ben looks at her knee, "Devi. You're bleeding! We need to get you a bandaid or-"

Devi interrupts him, "Ben! Shut up!" she snaps.

Ben immediately goes silent, standing up and offering Devi a hand. She stands up, still holding onto his hand. Their eyes meet, and Devi suddenly forgets everything.

She forgets the questioning eyes of her classmates, forgets her knee which was currently bleeding.

She leans up, bringing Ben down to kiss him. Ben yelps in shock, immediately kissing her back. He rests a hand on the back of her head, making her head spin with memories of their first kiss.

Her hand falls to rest on his chest.

They both pull away, foreheads resting together. Ben pulls away, opening his eyes.

"Devi...I thought..." Ben starts, and Devi raises an eyebrow.

"What?" She asks.

"I saw you with Paxton, and I just thought..." He tries to explain. Devi shakes her head, resting a hand on the side of his face.

"Ben...You're the one I want to be with. I'm ready for labels. I want that...with you. Paxton helped me realize." She explains.

Ben glances over at Paxton, who nods at him and walks away.

Ben's eyes widen, "Really?" he asks.

Devi nods, "Yeah. Now kiss me again, Gross."

Ben smirks, "Sure thing, David."

Ben leans in, kissing her again. Devi smiles into the kiss, knowing she'd made the right choice.

Fabiola and Eleanor squeal in the distance, and Paxton smiles as he watches.

Devi had a long way to go, and a lot of healing to do. It wasn't going to be easy, but luckily...her and Ben were both a mess. And they could both help heal eachother.


End file.
